1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of crushing and breaking casting objects of long objects or the like, a structure of a cutter used for the method and crushing-breaking apparatus of casting products.
2. Description of the Related Art
The applicant discloses a method of crushing and breaking (breaking) of casting products of the title in Japan and the United States of America or Europe (referred to as outline (1). With regard to outline (1), there are disclosed Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.106083/1994 xe2x80x98An apparatus for crushing-breaking weirs, runners, failed products or the like for casting by hydraulic pressurexe2x80x99, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.182238/1994 xe2x80x98A method of crushing-breaking weirs, runners, failed products for casting comprising nonuniform objects, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,573 xe2x80x98CRUSHING-BREAKING APPARATUSxe2x80x99 and European Patent Laid-Open No.0919283 xe2x80x98An apparatus for crushing-breaking useless casting products using a fixed and a rocking cutter device and method for coating said cutting devicesxe2x80x99.
According to outline (1), there are provided one and other cutter apparatus upper and lower faces of which are open, the one cutter apparatus is provided with a number of pieces of cutters in a mountain-like shape projected in a zigzag shape, the other cutter apparatus is provided with a number of pieces of cutters in a mountain-like shape projected in a zigzag shape and the other cutter apparatus is constituted movably. There is constructed a structure in which in retracting the other cutter apparatus, useless weirs and runners, useless products and the like (referred to as useless products) are charged from a charge opening formed between the one cutter apparatus and the other cutter apparatus and by bringing the cutters in the mountain-like shape of the other cutter apparatus and the cutters in the mountain-like shape of the one cutter apparatus into a fitting relationship, the useless casting products and the like are crushed and broken and extraction and retraction of the other movable cutter apparatus are automatically controlled by utilizing a cylinder. Further, the broken casting products (casting products to be recycled) are discharged to outside of the apparatus from a discharge opening on the lower side of the apparatus.
Further, the applicant discloses a movable cutter apparatus used in a method of crushing (breaking) casting products in Japan and the United States of America (referred to as outline (2). With regard to outline (2), there are disclosed Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.106083/1994 xe2x80x98A crushing-breaking apparatus of weirs, runners, failed products or the like for casting by hydraulic pressurexe2x80x99 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,573 xe2x80x98Crushing-Breaking apparatusxe2x80x99.
According to outline (2), there is constructed a constitution in which a strip-like bottom movable cutter apparatus is provided at a discharge opening on a lower side of one and other cutter apparatus. According to the strip-like bottom movable cutter apparatus, in retracting the other cutter apparatus, useless products or casting products to be recycled charged from a charge opening between the other cutter apparatus and the one cutter apparatus, are prevented from dropping.
According to outline (1), as shown by schematic views of FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) indicating extracting movement of the other cutter apparatus, a bottom side of a cutter of the one cutter apparatus is formed in a planar shape. Further, an upper side of a cutter of the other cutter apparatus is formed in a curved shape. Therefore, when a long object is present between the planar shape on the bottom side and the curved shape on the upper side, there is exerted press force or impact force (referred to as impact force) substantially in the form of face contact, there is a concern that a deficiency in impact force is caused, the object is not broken firmly and smoothly, or the object is escaped and sandwiched between the planar shape on the bottom side and the curved shape on the upper side and is difficult to process, or there poses a problem of damaging the cutter or shortening the life, or there poses a problem of deteriorating the operational efficiency or a problem in view of safety and in view of operational control. Further, as shown by schematic views of FIGS. 12(c) and 12(d) indicating forward movement of the other cutter apparatus, a front end side of a cutter of the one cutter apparatus is formed in a planar shape. Further, also a front end side of a cutter of the other cutter apparatus is formed in a planar shape. Therefore, useless casting objects are exerted with impact force by face contact produced by the two planar shapes and therefore, there poses a problem in which a deficiency in impact force is caused, the useless casting products cannot be broken firmly and smoothly, or the useless casting products are escaped and dropped from between the two planar shapes. Particularly, the tendency is intensified in a large-sized crushing-breaking apparatus, which is a problem to be improved.
Further, according to outlines (1) and (2), it is not intended to operate a charge opening and/or a discharge opening formed at a base end portion on a side of a fulcrum point shaft (support shaft) of the one cutter apparatus and the other cutter apparatus in correspondence with maintenance control of a breaking mechanism, relieving of clogging, change of kind of material and size of charged casting products and breaking dimension and therefore, there is a concern that it is difficult to deal with a failure of the apparatus or interchange the cutter apparatus.
An explanation will be given of a method of crushing and breaking casting products and a cutter structure used for the method shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 8. Useless casting products are charged into a charge opening formed by opening upper sides of cutter bases of other cutter apparatus and opening upper sides of cutter bases of one cutter apparatus in a situation in which the other cutter apparatus is disposed at a retracting limit. Further, in charging the useless casting products, according to a structure installed with a movable cutter apparatus, by utilizing recesses and projections of the cutter bases, long objects can be prevented from dropping. Thereafter, the other cutter apparatus carries out extracting movement along a circular arc track and at the occasion, there is brought about a relationship in which the cutters for carrying out the extracting movement along the circular arc track and opposed cutters are fitted together to thereby carry out crushing and breaking operation. For example, useless casting products of long objects are firmly crushed and broken by crushing and breaking force by a fitting relationship between bottom side mountain portions of bottom sides of pressing cutters and bottom side mountain portions of bottom sides of receiving cutters, that is, by bending force in an up and down direction. Further, by press down force (pressing stress) by front end side mountain portions on front end sides of the pressing cutters and front end side mountain portions of front end sides of the receiving cutters, the casting product crushing and breaking apparatus carries out the extracting movement to a lower side and there is exerted crushing and breaking force by the fitting relationship between the front end side mountain portions of the pressing cutters and the front end side mountain portions of the receiving cutters to thereby firmly crush and break the useless casting products. Further, the front end side mountain portion of the pressing cutter and the front end side mountain portion of the receiving cutter are formed by shapes projected to the front end sides and carry out pressing operation as the front end side mountain portions for preventing scattering. Therefore, the casting products or crushed and broken casting products do not carry out extracting movement to an upper side and a safe and efficient processing is achieved. Further, the force of crushing and breaking the useless casting products or the crushed and broken casting products, is concentrated to the bottom side mountain portion and the front end side mountain portion and therefore, there is achieved a merit useful for crushing and breaking the casting products firmly and by low pressure force, or down sizing of cylinders or a total of apparatus, or a reduction in running cost or the like.
Thereafter, by the extracting movement of the other cutter apparatus, there are carried out pressing and crushing and breaking (shearing between cutters) by the cutters (between cutters) or pressing and crushing and breaking by the front end side mountain portions for preventing scattering.
Further, the casting products to be recycled are successively received by lower cutters while dropping in clearances among the cutters or reach clearances among successive cutters. Thereafter, the pressing and crushing and breaking as well as dropping are pertinently repeated and the useless casting products are contained in, for example, a containing portion on a lower side from a charge opening (discharge opening) formed by the clearances among the cutters of the one and other cutter apparatus or by opening the lower sides of the cutter bases. Further, according to the structure installed with the movable cutter apparatus, the discharge opening is opened by moving the movable cutter apparatus (extracting movement) in discharging.
Further, the other cutter apparatus may also be constructed by a constitution in which the other cutter apparatus carries out not only the extracting movement but also carries out the extracting movement again after the extracting and retracting movement once when load is applied on the other cutter apparatus in the extracting movement. Further, the other cutter apparatus carries out the extracting movement after reaching an extracting limit. In the extracting movement, when load is applied on the other cutter apparatus, an operation similar to that of the above-described example is carried out.
An explanation will be given of crushing-breaking apparatus of casting products shown in FIG. 9 through FIG. 11.
When a charge opening and/or discharge opening (referred to as charge opening or the like) are brought into an opened state or dimensions thereof are changed, the other apparatus is supported by using means such as a crane or supporting means (hereinafter, referred to as crane), there is carried out an operation of drawing and/or an operation of inserting support blocks in frame holes and by utilizing movement of support bearings and changing numbers of support blocks, a dimension of the charge opening is changed or an opening degree of the charge opening is adjusted. Further, structures of cutters of the one and other cutter apparatus differ from those of the above-described cutters and the bottom side mountain portion and the front end side mountain portion are flattened. Naturally, the above-described cutters of FIG. 1 through FIG. 8 can also be adopted.
Further, the support bearing is moved automatically by utilizing a cylinder and in order to ensure accuracy of movement, detecting means such as sensors are arranged. After the movement, by setting the support bearing, the position is determined and therefore, the support state is released. Further, after the movement, when repair is carried out after setting the support bearing, the operation is carried out in the support state with an intention of ensuring the safety. When the support bearing is moved, by pivoting movable means such as cylinder, distance is adjusted, or smooth and firm movement is achieved.